But every lost link is reclaimable if you catch it in time. Set up automated monitoring, identify why each link dropped off, and use the right outreach approach for each scenario.
Done right, link reclamation converts ~3x better than cold outreach and saves you thousands in wasted link building spend.
Link reclamation is the process of finding lost backlinks and restoring them to protect your SEO and rankings.
It involves identifying 404 pages, broken URLs and redirects that once had links pointing at your site.
Link rot is a huge problem.
23% of new backlinks drop off in the first year alone. And that number skyrockets to 66.5% after 9 years.
You work hard for your backlinks.
The average cost of a single link through a trusted link building service is $287. The last thing you want is your backlinks to quietly disappear while you’re not looking.
As you acquire more backlinks, your rankings and AI visibility increase. But if those links drop off, so will your rankings.
That’s link rot in action.
It’s not about whether you will face link rot, but when. The problem is that most business owners and websites don’t have a link reclamation plan in place to stop the bleeding.
So in this post, I’ll show you how to identify lost backlinks quickly and get them restored.
Why Link Reclamation Matters
Link rot is the gradual loss of backlinks over time as pages get deleted, moved or broken.
It directly impacts your SEO by slowly stripping away the authority and rankings those links helped you earn.
Link rot is the silent killer of SEO.
Let me explain:
Think of backlinks as votes of confidence in your site, brand and content. The more backlinks (votes) you have, the more trust that Google and AI search tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity have in you.
More trust = higher rankings.
Simple, right?
On the other side, every time you lose a link, Google notices. Lose enough of them, and your rankings will start to take a hit.
Or worse, you keep building new links but your traffic and visibility never actually grow.
And that’s just the rankings side. Think about the math for a second…
If you built 100 links at an average cost of $287, that's $28,700 in link building investments. If 23% of them drop off in the first year, you've just lost $6,601 worth of links.
And for most businesses, they don’t even know it.
The reality is that link rot is a major issue in SEO.
The good news is that with a strong link reclamation strategy in place, you can easily protect your website rankings.
Pro Tip: Make sure your link building service offers a 1-year link guarantee. For example, at LinksThatRank, we only build permanent dofollow backlinks that are backed by our 12-month guarantee. If your link drops off or is removed during that time, we replace it for free. It will protect your rankings and save you thousands.
5 Reasons Your Backlinks Are Disappearing
The first step to stopping link rot on your site is understanding why backlinks disappear in the first place.
These are the five most common reasons.
1. The Linking Page Was Removed (404 Error)
When a page is deleted, your link is removed with it.
Most pages are deleted when a site owner restructures their site, prunes content or merges two pieces of content on a different URL.
The worst case is when the domain expires completely because the site becomes abandoned or the owner forgets to renew the domain.
2. Your Page Returns a 404
This one is on you.
Your own page broke or was removed, which leads to a 404 not found error on your site. The backlink is now pointing at a page that no longer exists.
When Googlebot crawls the link, it hits a dead end and attributes no link equity to your site. The good news is that it’s relatively easy to fix and completely within your control.
If it does happen, you can address the issue quickly.
3. The Link Was Editorially Removed
Someone made a conscious decision to remove your link.
This could have been because of a:
- Site redesign
- Content update
- Link replacement
Or sometimes site owners just clean up links on their page and your backlink gets caught in the process.
Backlinks that are editorially removed are much harder to reclaim. You’ll often need to work harder to get them restored. More on that later.
4. Redirect Issues
The most common redirect issue that leads to link rot is redirect chains.
This is when the original URL redirects to a second URL, which redirects to a third URL, creating a long chain of redirects.
Every hop in that chain bleeds link equity. By the time Google reaches the final page in the redirect chain, your backlink has lost a lot of value.
The fix is actually pretty straightforward.
The site owner simply needs to redirect the original URL to the newest URL. That cuts the entire redirect chain out and restores your link value.
5. Technical Changes (Noindex, Canonical, Server Errors)
You’d be surprised how many links are lost to simple technical errors.
Common ones we see all the time: • Noindex tags • Incorrect canonical tags • Server errors
All of these issues can cause Google to ignore the page entirely and your backlink along with it.
Technical issues usually occur during site migrations, theme updates and CMS changes. In most cases, the site owner usually has no idea it’s happened.
Technical issues often fly under the radar for months and damage that page’s reputation with Google. That means even after it’s fixed, Google still might be hesitant to waste crawl budget indexing the page.
No indexing = no link equity.
That’s why every link we build for clients is manually reviewed by a member of our team and passes our 23-point quality control process. No exceptions.
Each page is checked for common technical issues like no-index tags, blocked robots directives, orphaned pages, and incorrect canonical tags before publication.
Order links built to perform, not break.
How To Find Lost Backlinks (Step-by-Step)
You might be thinking…
How do I keep track of lost backlinks?
The good news is that you can use a tool to automatically track lost backlinks like Ahrefs, Semrush and Google Search Console. Here are the three methods with each tool.
Method 1: Ahrefs Lost Backlink Report (Recommended)
The Ahrefs backlink report is the best way to find and monitor lost backlinks.
It’s exactly how we track lost backlinks for clients on our monthly link building packages.
Open Ahrefs, search your site in Site Explorer, click Backlinks on the left and then click the “Lost” tab.
Apply the following filters:
- Dofollow
- Minimum DR15
- In Content
This will show you all of the backlinks that you’ve lost that were driving link equity to your site.
Cool, right?
Go through the links and check the reason for each lost link.
They’ll be classified into:
- Link removed
- 404 not found
- 301 redirect
- Noindex
This is essential information because each one requires a different approach to get the link back.
Method 2: Semrush Backlink Audit
Add your website to Semrush, click on Backlinks and then click on Backlink Audit.
Add your domain and follow the steps to set up an audit.
Semrush will go through your entire backlink profile to document every link.
Once it’s finished, click on the Lost & Found page.
Here you’ll be able to see all of the domains that stopped linking to you in the last 3 months. You’ll also be able to see the reason why and some context.
This will allow you to choose the right approach when reaching out later.
Method 3: Google Search Console (Free)
If you don’t have the budget for a premium tool, then Google Search Console allows you to check lost backlinks for free.
Log in to Google Search Console, click Links in the left sidebar and select Top Linking Sites.
This will show you all the sites that are linking to you.
Google Search Console doesn’t show you lost links over time.
So, what you’ll need to do is log in and check the links each month, comparing them to the previous month.
Identify any lost links over the previous period. You can even export the links as a CSV and give them to ChatGPT to scan each month.
That way, you don’t have to manually audit your backlink profile.
Google Search Console is a good starting point. But if you are serious about protecting your website from link rot, you’ll need a premium tool.
How To Reclaim Lost Links With Outreach That Works
Now it’s time to focus on outreach.
But the cause of link rot is different for every link.
That means you need the right approach depending on the reason you lost the link. Read through all the scenarios below and choose the outreach process that makes sense.
Most likely you’ll need to use multiple approaches to win back all your links.
Scenario 1: Your Page Returns a 404 (Fix It Internally)
This is the fastest win to reclaim a link.
Why?
Because it’s a simple technical error, and you don’t have to rely on anyone else. Everything you need is in your control.
Most of the time, a page 404 error comes down to two things:
- The page URL was changed
- The page was deleted
If the page URL was changed, you just need to use a 301 redirect (permanent redirect) from the old URL to the new one. I use RankMath to do all of my redirects and make it easy to manage them all in one place.
But what if the page was deleted?
It’s a similar process…
If the page was deleted by accident, restore it using your CMS or hosting backup. But if you deleted the page on purpose, you need to add a 301 redirect to another relevant page.
Here’s how to do that:
Head over to Google and do a site search using the main target keyword of the page that was deleted:
site:yoursite.com "target keyword"
Google will show you a list of other pages on your website relevant to that target keyword.
Choose the one that makes the most sense, and do a 301 redirect from the old URL to the new chosen page.
This will fix your 404 error and ensure that the link equity now flows to the new URL.
Scenario 2: The Linking Page Was Removed
The page that linked to your website is now gone.
This is one of the main reasons a link drops off, and it’s also one of the more difficult to get fixed because you don’t have any direct control over getting the link back.
Here’s what you do…
Contact the site owner and ask if the content can be restored OR if they’d consider linking to your site from another related page.
The key is to keep it short and specific.
Hi [Name],
I noticed your article [Page Title] on [domain] appears to have been removed.
It previously linked to our page on [topic] at [URL]. If the content was moved to a new location, would you mind updating the link?
Happy to help if there’s anything I can do on my end.
Thanks,
[Your Name]
Simple, right?
The reason this works is because you’re calling out the issue without sounding accusatory.
Remember:
Most link removals are not intentional. That means you never want to come across as accusing someone of deliberately removing your link.
Response rates on link reclamation generally fall between 18-25% depending on the type of link and reason. That means for every 4-5 emails you send, you can expect to win back one link.
Compare that to cold outreach, where the response rate is typically 8.5% and the conversion rate is 3-5%.
Reclamation converts roughly 3x better on average, which is why it’s always worth reaching out whenever you lose a link.
Scenario 3: The Link Was Editorially Removed
Reclaiming a link that was editorially removed requires a softer approach.
The site owner made a conscious choice to take your link out. You’ll need to give them a good reason to add it back in.
The best way to do that is to lead with value.
Start by analysing the content that used to link to you.
See if you can understand why the link was taken out:
- Was the content focus changed?
- Are they citing another source?
- Is your content outdated?
Pinpointing the main issue makes it easier to lead with value.
Think you’ve found it?
Go back to your piece of content and update it. Look to align it closer with their content to make your resource more valuable and worth linking to again.
Reach out to the site owner and mention specific improvements you’ve made.
These can include:
- Updated statistics
- New sections
- Better visuals
Here’s how to make this work even better…
Offer something extra to win back the link that’s valuable to them and doesn’t require a lot of extra work or time from you.
Things that have worked for us in the past: • Free branded graphic for their piece of content • Offering to share the article on your social media • Offering to mention their brand in your next newsletter
It makes sense, right?
You’re shifting the outreach email from asking to giving. If your content genuinely deserves the link, being polite and offering value is often all it takes to reclaim the backlink.
Scenario 4: Noindex or Technical Issues on Their End
Technical issues on the linking website’s side are often easiest to overcome.
Why?
Because it usually only involves a quick heads-up email, and you’re doing them a favour by highlighting the issue. In my experience, most website owners are happy you mentioned it.
Very few websites regularly audit their site. That means most website owners have no idea about technical issues until someone tells them.
Reach out to the site owner as quickly as possible. Frame your outreach email as a helpful alert, not a link request.
In most cases, if they fix the issue, it’ll solve your link problem at the same time.
That means you won’t even need to mention your link.
Pro Tip: Follow up once if you don’t receive a response by day 5. A single follow-up can increase response rates by up to 65% for these types of issues. But cap the follow-ups at 2 so you don’t annoy them.
If they don’t respond after two follow-ups, they’re not going to.
The quicker you jump on technical issues causing you to lose the links, the higher your chances of reclaiming the link.
That’s why you must have an alert when you lose links.
How To Prevent Link Loss In The First Place
Now you know why links drop off, how to identify them quickly and how to reclaim them based on the individual scenario.
But the best solution is to prevent link loss in the first place. Implement each of these link loss prevention strategies for your site today.
Set Up Automated Monitoring
You can set up automated backlink monitoring with:
- Ahrefs
- Semrush
Ahrefs is my preference because it’s easier to use and I find we can take action quicker. But the setup process is very similar on both tools.
Log in to Ahrefs, click More in the top menu and select Alerts.
Fill in the details like this:
Every day you’ll receive an email report with any lost links. Take 20 seconds to scan the email and check if any of the links are important to your site.
If there are, take action as quickly as possible to reclaim them based on the correct scenario method.
Never Delete Pages With Backlinks
Here’s a rule you should never break…
Do not delete any pages on your site that have backlinks.
What should you do instead?
Short answer: Redirect them.
Use a 301 permanent redirect to redirect the page you want to delete to a new URL on your site with similar or relevant content.
The backlinks pointing at the old URL now point at the new URL. The new URL receives the link equity and gets the boost.
It takes less than 5 minutes to set up and can actually have a net positive effect on your SEO rankings.
Site Migration Checklist
I’ve done a lot of site migrations over the years.
And I can tell you from experience that site migrations can cause a significant amount of issues on your site if not handled correctly. That includes creating technical issues that lead to lost links.
The solution is pretty straightforward…
The most common issue I see with site migrations is the URL structure leading to hundreds of 404 errors.
For example:
Old URL: yoursite.com/guides/blog-post-URL New URL: yoursite.com/learn/blog-post-URL
The only difference between these two URLs is that the category in the middle changed from “guides” to “learn”. But that small change will affect every single post in that category.
Before you migrate your site, you need to create a URL map.
Simply list every page and post on your site in a spreadsheet. Then write the current URL and the new URL next to them.
Think of this as your master checklist so you can create any necessary redirects to preserve link equity.
Set up the new site in a staging area. Before you publish, make sure that your redirects are in place and that you thoroughly test everything before going live.
After you publish the new site live, double-check to make sure the redirects are working as they’re supposed to.
Monitor your backlink profile daily for the first two weeks to check for any lost links. This step-by-step process will ensure you don’t make any catastrophic mistakes — and if you do, you’ll catch them before they have any negative impact on your SEO.
Keep Content Fresh
I’ve found that fresh content can significantly impact whether a link to your site gets editorially removed.
This is especially true if the link comes from a valuable round-up or listicle.
Staying on top of every piece of content on your site is almost impossible.
Here’s what to do instead:
Make a list of the most linked-to pages on your site. This should be no more than 15 pages/posts that attract the most links.
Every 3 months, do a quick refresh of the content, checking for outdated: • Statistics • Prices • Tools • Examples • Information
Essentially anything that is outdated or should be updated. That lowers the chance of your link ever being removed editorially.
What if the content is up to date and there’s nothing to change?
Do what I call a 5-minute refresh. Rewrite the introduction and add one FAQ at the bottom of your page.
This keeps the content fresh in both Google’s and humans’ eyes.
Build Relationships, Not Just Links
The better your relationships, the more links you’ll get and keep.
The best link builders in the world are the ones with the biggest networks.
Links from people you know tend to stick around longer. People won’t remove a link to a friend’s site even if there is a “better” resource to link to. That’s just how it is.
Focus on building genuine relationships in your industry with:
- Editors
- Bloggers
- Publishers
- Media sites
You’ll find that you will get more links and they will stay for much longer. This is the ultimate tip for preventing link loss.
It’s also why quality link building services don’t have as much link loss when it comes to building links for clients.
We invest heavily in maintaining strong relationships with our entire network of publishers. It’s one of the big benefits of using a link building service that focuses on quality control.
Recommended Tool Stack For Link Reclamation
Your link reclamation tool stack doesn’t need to be massive.
But there are a few key paid and free tools you need to have to make monitoring and reclaiming links a straightforward process. These are the ones we recommend most.
Paid Tools
Ahrefs - Best-in-class lost backlink reports and automated alerts so you can reclaim links quickly. Ahrefs is the number one tool I recommend to all clients. Semrush - Strong Backlink Audit with automated monitoring. The Lost & Found report gives good context on why links disappeared. BuzzStream - Outreach management that's great if you're running backlink reclamation at scale across multiple sites.
Free Tools
Google Search Console - Track backlinks on your site, website performance and technical site reports. Screaming Frog - Automatically find redirect chains, broken internal links, and identify technical errors that might be causing lost links. Hunter.io - Find email addresses to reach out to site owners and reclaim lost links. Backlink Blacklist - Free tool from us to check if any of your backlinks are on known PBN or guest post network domains. If a link was lost from a blacklisted site, it's not worth reclaiming.
The most important thing is to actually use these tools consistently. Set up your monitoring, check your reports weekly, and take action as soon as you spot a lost link.
Wrapping It Up
Link rot is inevitable.
But that doesn’t mean you need to be a passive victim to it.
Use the steps above to prevent link rot in the first place and then reclaim any links you do lose. The most important thing you can do today is to put a link reclamation process in place.
The process is simple:
- Set up automated monitoring
- Identify lost links fast
- Use the right approach for the scenario
The biggest mistake that most site owners make is ignoring lost links until they start impacting rankings. By that time, the damage is done, and the recovery process is harder.
Every link you reclaim is money back in your pocket.
Want to stop link rot before it starts?
At LinksThatRank, every link we build is a permanent, dofollow link backed by our 12-month guarantee. If a link drops off in that time, we replace it for free. No questions asked.
Ready to get started?
- Guest Posts – High-quality AI search-ready
- Link Building Packages – Discounted monthly bundles
- Link Inserts – Niche-relevant editorial placements
- Agency Program – Discounted white label services
Frequently Asked Questions
What is link reclamation in SEO?
Link reclamation in SEO is the process of identifying lost backlinks that used to point to a website and taking steps to recover them. The most common fixes include adding 301 redirects to broken pages on your site, reaching out to site owners who removed your links and resolving technical issues that cause the link loss.
How is link reclamation different from broken link building?
Link reclamation recovers backlinks that originally pointed at your site but have been removed. Broken link building finds links pointing at broken pages on competitor sites and pitches your live content as a replacement. Link reclamation is about recovering lost backlinks you had originally earned, while broken link building is about earning new links by fixing other people’s broken links.
What tools do I need for link reclamation?
The essential tools for link reclamation are Ahrefs or Semrush. Both of these tools help you identify lost backlinks quickly and allow you to set up alerts so you’re automatically notified when a link is lost. Google Search Console is also an essential free tool because it allows you to easily identify 404 errors on your own site.
How often should I check for lost backlinks?
You should check for lost backlinks at least once per month at a minimum. This generally involves running a comprehensive link audit with a premium SEO tool like Ahrefs or Semrush. Most link building pros set up automated alerts for lost links so they’re notified the moment they lose an important backlink and can recover it quickly.
What response rate can I expect from reclamation outreach?
Quality link reclamation outreach can consistently drive 18-25% response rates from emails. This is significantly higher than standard cold outreach, which averages around 3-5% conversion rates. The most important factors for high conversion rates include personalisation, providing relevant content and following up once after 5-7 days.
